Shock indicating device



Jul 9, 1940.

w. T. PEYTON ET AL 2,207,204

SHOCK INDICATING DEVICE Filed April 13, 1939 fa'imi- III III //I Ill/l I E-iE-E.

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Patented July 9, 1940 UNITED TEES SHOCK INDICATING DEVICE Bear, Denison, Tex.; said Peyton said Bear assignor to Application April 13, 1939, Serial No. 267,638

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in shock indicating devices.

At present in shipping frangible articles, these articles have become damaged due to rough handling in transit. The present invention is so constructed as to indicate the number of any unusual jars or shocks received by a parcel in transit thereby enabling the shipper to claim damage and also to enable transportation companies to check on individual operators.

An important object of this invention is to provide a shock indicating device, which device will count each individual shock or impact imposed "upon a parcel in transit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spring controlled means whereby the sensitivity of the device may be increased or decreased in keeping with the intensity of the shock imparted to a parcel according to the frangibility of the article being shipped.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a shock counting device which will not only count vertical or horizontal shocks but will count any shock impartedto the parcel at any angle.

Yet another object of this invention is to pro vide a shock counter mounted in a separate housing which housing may be disposed at any angle within a parcel to be shipped.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a positive means for actuating a counter, which counter is so arranged as to universally indicate shocks imparted to a parcel.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of a shock indicating device constructed in accordance with the present invention having the housing shown in full vertical section.

Figure 2 is a plan View having the top of the device removed, and

Figure 3 is a view of the shock indicating or counting mechanism.

In the drawing, the numeral l0 designates a rectangular box or housing constructed of metal, wood or other suitable material having outwardly extending ears H formed integral therewith. Holes i2 are provided in the ears whereby the housing it may be rigidly secured to any suitable support, said support being the interior of a carton or the like to be shipped either by truck, rail or other transportation means.

inwardly extending pins or lugs !3 are provided near the upper end of the body ill on one wall thereof. site wall whereby a thumb screw i5 may be inserted therein. A top member it is provided having downwardly turned lips H and l8 thereon. An internally threaded hole i9 is provided in the lip ll whereby the said thumb screw I5 may be threaded therein to secure the top Hi to the body. This screw it cooperates with the pins 53 which. pins are inserted intothe holes provided in the downwardly extending lip l8 of the top member. I

A counter 29 is universally mounted in a central position within the box ill said universal mounting comprising a rectangular frame 21 being pivoted at "its longitudinal edges by means of lugs 22 projecting into countersunk shanks of the screws 23 which screws are threaded into the vertical walls of the housing Ill (Figure 1).

The counter '20 is mounted to a cross-piece 24 which cross-piece is pivotally mounted by means of screws 25 (Figure 3)' The actuating pin 26 of the counter 26 extends centrally through the member 24 and upwardly through a grooved sleeve 21, the upper end of the shank or pin 26 is provided with a screw head 28. The upper portion of the pin 26 is screw threaded at 29 whereby the height of the pin may be varied. The counter is kept in its raised position. by means of a coil spring 30 confined between the member 24 and the screw head 28. The flanges 3i of the counter 20 are slidably secured to a downwardly depending member 32 which member is rigidly secured to the cross-piece 24. Slots 33 in the member 32 serve to produce this sliding connection in cooperation with bolts and nuts 34.

A slight spiral groove 35 is provided in the sleeve 21 while a pin 36 is confined within this groove, said pin being rigidly secured to the actuating pin 26 of the counter 20.

In operation it may be seen that by adjusting the threaded portion 29 of the shank 26 different tensions may be imposed upon the spring 36. Thus if the shipper is shipping a piano or other heavy article the tension of the spring would be greater because naturally it would be assumed that a more severe shock would be necessary to injure a device of this kind. With the universal mounting of the counter 20 the latter will at all times be pointed downwardly due to gravity whereby if the article was in an inclined position when the shock was imparted thereto the weight A hole 16 is provided in the oppoof the counter itself would be sufficient to overcome the tension of the spring 30 thereby allowing the counter to move downwardly within the slots 33 of the number 32. This downward movement would force the pin 36 to traverse the spiral slot 35 of the sleeve 21 to impart a rotating movement to the actuating shaft 26. Actuation of this shaft would change one digit of the numerals 40 of the counter.

At the time the device is to be used, said device is secured within the article to be shipped by means of the ears H and a notation of the numbers appearing at this time is noted on a card 45 suitably confined on the bottom side of the cover [6. When the article has reached its destination, the device is then opened and a notation of the digits is placed below the notation made prior to shipment, the variance between these two notations will be the number of shocks received in transit all of which shocks have overcome a predetermined tensity of the spring 30. Any of the shocks, therefore, being suflicient to cause damage to the article shipped, would be evidence of unduly rough handling.

From the foregoing it may be seen that a device simple in construction and economical in manufacture may be had. The device may be used in any number of ways such as checking individual operators or indicating shocks during movement or handling.

It is to be noted that a circular construction could be substituted with equal efliciency as the rectangular construction herein described. Also any suitable counter now procurable on the open market may be used.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and describedis capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for counting shocks comprising a housing, a frame mounted on diametrically opposed pivots in said housing, a cross-head mounted on pivots in said frame at right angles to said first pivot, a counter suspended from said cross-head carrying a shaft and movable relative to said cross-head, a spirally slotted sleeve mounted on said cross-head and embracing said shaft, a pin carried by said shaft and slidably received in said slot, a spring surrounding said sleeve for resisting movement of said counter relative to said cross-head, and means for holding said counter against rotation relative to said cross-head.

2. A device for counting shocks and impacts including a housing, a frame pivoted therein to rotate on an axis in one plane and carrying a cross-head pivoted to rotate on an axis in a diametrically opposite plane, a counter suspended by its actuating shaft from said cross-head and movable relative thereto, spring means for resisting said movement, means in fixed relation to said cross-head for imparting rotation to said actuating shaft when said movement occurs and means for holding said counter against rotation with said actuating shaft.

3. A device for counting shocks and impacts including a housing, a frame supported on gimbals in said housing, a cross-head mounted on gimbels in said frame for rotation on an axis at right angles to the axis of rotation of said frame, a counter mounted on said cross-head and movable relative thereto and having an actuating shaft, means for imparting to said shaft a rotating movement when said counter is moved relative to said cross-head, means yieldingly resisting said movement and means constraining said counter against rotation relative to said crosshead during said movement.

4. A device for counting shocks and impacts including a housing and a frame mounted on gimbals therein, a cross-head carrying a counter movable relative thereto and pivoted for rotation about an axis at right angles to the rotating axis of said frame, said counter being provided with an actuating shaft, means in fixed relation to said cross-head for imparting a rotary movement to said actuating shaft when said counter is moved relative to said cross-head, means for resisting said movement and means for holding said counter against rotation relative to said crosshead when said movement occurs.

WILLIAM T. PEYTON. JOE BEAR. 

